Rising tensions in Bangladesh: Archbishop of Dhaka concerned about current situationThursday, December 26, 2013

At the background of the recent conflicts and violent situations created by the polarized position taken by the Government and the Opposition on the issue of Parliamentary election to be held on January 5, and following the execution of one of the leading members of the Jamaat-e-Islami opposition party in Bangladesh, the Archbishop of Dhaka, Patrick D'Rozario, called on his compatriots and Christians throughout the world to pray for peace and reconciliation in Bangladesh as well as in this southeast Asian country.

“The situation is very
tense. For months we have been experiencing strikes, blockades, violent
conflict, terrorist attacks, arson and hatred here in Bangladesh. There have
been deaths and hundreds of people have been injured. The most recent events
have further exacerbated the situation. That is why I am asking all Christians
in the country and elsewhere to pray for peace and reconciliation in
Bangladesh," Archbishop D’Rozario explained to the international Catholic
pastoral charity "Aid to the Church in Need."

On Thursday,
December 12th, Abdul Quader Molla of the Jamaat-e-Islami party,
which is considered to be Islamist, was executed. The 65 year old had been
found guilty of being involved in war crimes during the 1971 war of
independence, when Bangladesh was formed from East Pakistan. According to the
prosecution, indigenous forces together with the Pakistani army killed around
three million people and raped 200,000 women at that time. According to the
information given, most of the victims were Hindus and Awami League party
workers and their supporters. Appeals against the death sentence had been
rejected previously by the country's Supreme Court. After the sentence had been
carried out there was unrest in a number of cities. At the criminal court there
are further proceedings pending against members of Jamaat-e-Islami in
connection with war crimes. The special court responsible for handling cases of
atrocities committed during the war of independence was set up in 2010 by the
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed. The opposition rejected the institution of
the court outright.

Archbishop
D’Rozario is following the recent developments with great concern. In this
situation, he says, Catholics have a special duty to perform, and that is
Prayer and Penance: "Our prayers are not in vain. Bangladesh needs
dialogue and I cherish the hope that it will succeed! In Bangladesh all Christians,
regardless of their denomination, feel solidarity with their compatriots of
other faiths. Our charitable and social initiatives serve the country,
education and development, the poor and those who are particularly affected by
climate change. This means that we are trying to live our faith and the values
we advocate."

Between the
present governing party of the Awami League (AL) under Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina Wajed and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) under the former Prime
Minister Khaleda Zia there have been profound tensions for decades and these
are paralyzing the country where the population is predominantly Muslims. The
BNP receives support from and patronizes the religiously oriented
Jamaat-e-Islami, which is legally banned as party to take part in the
elections. Both are endeavouring to fight against the Secular AL
Government. Because of the persistent
tensions a number of parties, including the main opposition BNP and its allies,
intend to boycott the parliamentary elections scheduled for 5 January 2014.

In Bangladesh
Islam is the state religion according to the constitution, but religious
freedom is guaranteed. About 88 per cent of the almost 143 million Bangladeshis
are Muslims, including ten per cent Shiites. About nine per cent of the
population are Hindus; the Buddhists,
people of traditional religions and Christians, including about 320,000
Catholics, that is 0.3%, account for three percent of the total population.